Bolton Wanderers’ star man Gary Madine is attracting plenty of attention from Championship rivals with Sunderland, Cardiff and Hull City all interested.
Unsurprisingly, Bolton Wanderers have no interest in selling their talisman and top scorer this month, as they aim to avoid an immediate return to League One.
Gary Madine has been a man in demand in recent weeks, the Echo reporting that survival rivals Sunderland had made an ambitious approach for the former Sheffield Wednesday man.
The 27-year-old has nine goals in 27 Championship appearances this season, including winners against Sheffield United and Hull City either side of the New Year, and is absolutely indispensable to Phil Parkinson’s hopes of staying in the second tier beyond this campaign.
And it is fair to say this leaves Sunderland’s hopes of landing the target man in pieces. The Black Cats’ lack of transfer funds is well documented and, with the club as yet unable to find a buyer for Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong, Chris Coleman will be prevented from making any permanent moves.
The Sun adds that Cardiff had made an offer for Madine, while Hull City had also launched an enquiry. But while Bolton accept that the striker is likely to leave in the summer, they will do everything to keep him at the Macron for the time being.
Niigel Adkins’ struggling Hull could do with attacking reinforcements as Fraizer Campbell is their top scoring striker this season with just five, while Abel Hernandez remains on the sidelines. But the Tigers are unlikely to bid anywhere near £6 million for Madine.
Sunderland, meanwhile, have been forced to enter the loan market in search of a striker capable of replacing Lewis Grabban. It is understood that they are closing in on Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn while Manchester City teenager Lukas Nmecha is also a target, as reported by the Mail.
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